06/14/2026
IRVING — Silver Creek Central School recently celebrated three Indigenous students for their efforts to make the district feel more like home during their tenure as Black Knights.
Skyla Gates, Hailie Rybij, and Amirya Warrior were officially celebrated as Indigenous Honor Society graduates earlier this month at the Seneca Nation of Indians Early Childhood Learning Center. Teachers, administrators, and Board of Education members were in attendance for the ceremony, which was held prior to the regular Board of Education meeting hosted by the Seneca Nation.
Gates, Rybij and Warrior have made an effort to represent their heritage at Silver Creek through a variety of projects, including a Remembrance Walk this past fall, followed by raising three flags in the school gymnasium: the Seneca Nation flag, the Haudenosaunee flag, and the Every Child Matters flag.
Warrior said that fellow students and teachers always told the three of them how they are “doing big things” at Silver Creek. She said of the flags being raised, “We’ll know that we did it and we made a change.”
Seneca Language Teacher Anne Tahamont and Native American Education Program Coordinator Amanda Austin both spoke highly of the students’ efforts throughout their time at Silver Creek. The recent ceremony was a culmination of their commitment to honor their culture at their school.
“It is just really wonderful to see what’s happening — and continues to happen — because of our student initiatives,” Superintendent Dr. Katie Ralston said at the Board of Education meeting following the ceremony.
Also at the recent meeting, Ralston congratulated Molly Shaw, the district’s Student Board Member, for being inducted into the Indigenous Honor Society. Shaw will remain on the Board next year as a senior, while another member of the student body will join her on the Board next year.
The Indigenous Honor Society is a celebration of culture, community, resilience, leadership, and the responsibility our students carry as representatives of both their school and their people.
The Indigenous Honor Society is rooted in the belief that success is strengthened through support, connection, and living with a Good Mind. A Good Mind means leading with respect, humility, honesty, and kindness while taking responsibility for oneself and contributing positively to the community around us. It reminds us that true leadership is not only about personal success but about lifting others up along the way.
As members of the Indigenous Honor Society, our students commit themselves to growth, service, and helping build a stronger, more supportive community for both the living and future generations to come.
Honorees were Amirya Warrior, Skyla Gates, Hailie Rybij, and Shylor Maybee. This year’s newest inductee is Molly Shaw.
Submitted Photo From left are Seneca Language Teacher Anne Tahamont; students Amirya Warrior, Hailie Rybij, Molly Shaw, and Skyla Gates; and Native American Education Program Coordinator Amanda Austin.
Shared from the Dunkirk Observer
